Introduction

While conflicts continue to affect communities and nations across the world, there is a growing understanding that education can play a critical role in building peace and social cohesion. However, education structures and the practices within them can also equally exacerbate inequalities and fuel tensions which can underlie conflicts. In the context of Myanmar, a complex pattern of multiple grievances and tensions have fuelled conflicts which continue to affect the country while also being in the process of ongoing political transitions. This introductory chapter first sets out the context of our research project to explore the opportunities for education to contribute to peacebuilding in Myanmar and highlights the specificities of the research locations. Secondly, we briefly introduce the three key research areas that informed the structure of our data collection, analysis and its presentation in this book in three parts. Thirdly, we discuss the partnerships, scope and limitations of the study as well as the ethical and practical challenges faced. Finally, we invite the reader to explore this book further by outlining the structure of the book.